Conducting A Hive Inspection

It is common for me to get questions related to proper techniques for inspecting hives. Beekeepers, especially new beekeepers, want to know how often they should inspect their hives, what tools are needed when performing a standard inspection, and what they should look for when inspecting a hive.

I will address these questions herein. I will note that inspection strategies and frequencies change based on the time of year, the number of hives one has to inspect, and what one hopes to accomplish with their hives. Correspondingly, I will limit myself to discussing what one should do during the most basic of hive inspections.

 Common Equipment Needed for Hive Inspections